


swimming up against the tide

by orphan_account



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 21:44:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11814777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: There's rumors and gossip, and at the center of it all, Kara and Lena saying they're just friends. Cat does what she does best: investigates for the Truth.





	swimming up against the tide

**Author's Note:**

> title from frenship's capsize
> 
> theragingthespian.tumblr.com

Cat doesn’t notice it immediately. 

(Give her a break though, it takes her a few weeks- a shorter time than it’d take others, _thank you_ \- to get settled after returning.

She needed days before she could even think in her office, past the smell of too many days of fast food and whatever cologne James clearly bathed in.)

What she does notice is her employees all huddled together like they’re on a- a tennis team? Polo?- a _sport_. They think they’re on some sporting team, pressed closed and hiding in an office far away from hers as if she doesn’t notice the line that builds up when most go on their lunch breaks.

So she does what any good boss would do.

“ _Miss Teschmacher_.”

Watching Kara scramble into her room wasn’t nearly as funny as watching Eve. Looking back, Kara had to be floating slightly for her not to trip as many times as she clipped that desk. Eve, though, is a scramble of limbs and hair and _coming Miss Grant_.

“Yes?”

“I need you to find out what’s going on in that office.”

“Oh, the- the um, I already know what that is?”

“Are you _asking_ or-”

“Right, right. Telling.” Eve looks around, draws that hideous pink cardigan closer around her. “They’re betting.”

Cat stands slowly, dragging her hand around her desk. Surely they wouldn’t _dare_. “Betting?”

“Yes. Or is that one of the rhetorical questions you told me not to answer?” Cat sighs, makes it long and drawn out until Eve’s mouth shuts with a click of teeth.

Kara hadn’t been this difficult, had she?

“And what is worth such a gamble of their livelihoods?”

“It’s um.” Eve’s fingers dart around her tablet as she bites her lip. She lowers her voice. “It’s about Kara.”

“Kara?”

This is it. This is an irreparable slip up that Kara hasn’t noticed. Something she left unattended. Something Cat hasn’t made sure to hide like Kara’s absences or the clothes the janitors would find in empty offices.

This will cost Kara her identity.

“They think she’s dating Lena Luthor.” Eve bursts.

Cat blinks. Rolls over the words in her head and-

That’s certainly _new_.

She doesn’t know much of her.

(They’ve been to the same parties few and far between. Usually, Lena sticking close to the walls and putting on painfully fake smiles that investors eat up.

She’s read the stories and seen the pictures, but more importantly, she’s seen _Lena._

Seen shoulders drawn inward and a carefully hidden fear anytime someone asks about her brother.

She’s seen a woman who’s far too young to carry what’s been placed on her shoulder.)

“And how did this come about?”

Eve fidgets. She’s always fidgeting as if she’s about one second from being fired.

It’s a healthy fear to have. She usually is. “They’re just- they’re obvious about it.”

“So you clearly seem to think they are.”

“Kara seems really happy.”

Cat can’t help her eye roll, remembers Kara almost skipping out of her office most days despite her most creative insults. “A donut makes her happy.”

“Yeah but this is different.” Eve sighs. It’s the kind of sigh that makes Carter huff at the television and pick at the cuff of his sleeves, “It’s love.”

“Who’s running it?”

“I think Dave has a spreadsheet so we can keep up with who’s who.”

* * *

“Dan!”

“Miss-Miss Grant!” He runs a hand through- Cat shudders- his curly and blinding bright hair, smiles. “It’s actually Dave.”

Cat nods, shows a sharp smile as she pointedly stares at the ID clipped to his shirt. “Dan,” she enunciates slowly, “I need that list of yours.” 

She gets it by lunch.

* * *

Carr.

Somehow she isn’t surprised.

“I’m a gambler.” He shrugs, tugs on his tie with annoyance. She thinks that annoyance is for her when she waves her hand for more and his frown deepens. “It’s too good to pass up.”

“That’s what I say about a good drink, not an employee.”

“She’s your prodigy.” He splays his fingers, palms facing her. “Not mine. Might as well make a quick buck.”

“Why?”

“Have you seen those too?” Cat shakes her head. She sees less of Kara than she ever has. She has to endure one of her own sighs thrown right back at her when Snapper heaves out a breath. “I’d say honeymoon phase but it’s been like this for months.”

“ _Months_?”

“I’d call her out on it but Luthor doesn’t talk to anyone else. It’s our only way in.”

Cat leans back in the seat, fingers slowly tracing around the armrests as she thinks. “Kara hasn’t said anything to you?”

“Other than defending her spelling, we don’t talk.” He points to her, eyes narrowing. “If I have to see one more _kewl_ , I’m firing her.”

Cat takes a long look at him, but it goes unnoticed as he stares down at his paper, holds it up higher when she clears her throat. “It’s a wonder more people don’t quit after working with you Lucas.”

“I could say the same to you.”

* * *

Kara may lie, but her feelings don’t.

(Anyone with eyes could see the way she stumbled after James. But they’d left it alone and it fizzled out before it even had a chance.

The way her employees talk- loud and brash and haven’t they ever heard of _working_?- it sounds like this is even worse.

That Kara defends Lena fiercely and hugs her tightly.

That Kara is in deep, and she had told Kara to dive, but she fears these waters may be too much.)

She decides to go straight to the clumsy, warm hearted source.

Kara falls out of her chair as soon as the question leaves her mouth. “What?” She drags a hand down her face. “Lena and- what is with everyone?”

“Glasses.” Kara makes a confused noise, so Cat points to the floor. Kara’s dramatics knocking off her glasses in the process. She could at least _try_ to act like she needs them instead of not even noticing. “So you’ve been asked this?”

“ _Yes_.” Kara’s eyebrows knit together, and it’s clear she’s thinking about it. Hard, from the way a frown etches it’s way on her face. “I don’t know why.” Kara raises her shoulders. “We hang out. That’s all.”

“That’s all?”

Kara nods vigorously.

But there’s a flush crawling up her neck and her fingers are dancing across her desk as she looks away.

(Kara says they’re not dating, but that doesn’t mean the feeling’s not there.)

* * *

The spreadsheet has every single one of her employees.

Even the guy who always smells like sweat and drops off their mail. It’s ridiculous. It’s invasive and childish and-

It’s _something_.

This many people wouldn’t jeopardize their jobs- they all know, despite her best denials, that Kara is important to her and such gossip wouldn’t be allowed- for something that Kara vehemently says doesn’t exist.

These people _see_ something.

She tabs to the left on her screen and realizes Dan had been keeping track of Kara’s and Lena’s ‘reported sightings.’

It’s a simple as printing it out and working down the list.

She startles one employee so badly as he’s working on the printer that ink sprays over him. “The pool? Oh. _Oh_. Listen, that’s really just for-”

“I don’t care,” she says quickly, because the faster she does this the less people can scramble away and act like they’ve never seen a thing, “You said you saw them at a bar?”

He nods, turning his head this way and that. Fingers scratching nervously around his collar. “Yes,” he says slowly. He cuts his eyes to her like he’s still not believing she hasn’t fired him yet.

Which completely depends on his testimony.

“They were just having a few drinks, y’know? But it was all that touchy feely shit.” He clicks his tongue at a stain, runs his fingers against it and has the audacity to look surprised when it smears larger. “I’m used to Kara being all,” he jerks his hand, “huggy. But Luthor was doing it too, and I know when a woman is flirting. Luthor? That girl was flirting it up.”

It’s similar to the other stories she’s listened to. Together outside of CatCo hours, away from any place that could be used as an interview. _Personal._

All with excessive touch and-

“ _Looks_. Oh my god, you’d think they were about to throw down right there.” Cat winces at that, because in the context, she’s not quite sure she wants to know what that means. Jill- Jan? Something like that- snorts into her cup, “I know right? Wait, here.”

Cat keeps her hand at the back of the chair, loudly taps her finger when all she sees are monitors flickering. Gets a muttered _one sec_. A few clicks and there’s Kara as Lena’s leaving, eyes warm and bright, and oh, even though the sigh that leaves her is tinny over the speakers, it sounds so _happy._

“You see that look? You know what that is, right?”

It’s longing. Kara stamping her foot down and leaning forward before falling back into place. Lena turning around in question only for Kara to give a friendly wave.

(Eve probably goes home and watches far too many Hallmark movies. Twists her brain into some sappy mush that’s clearly contagious, because all she can think of is Kara’s smile as she flies and Eve’s words and,

 _Love._ )

They’re chomping down on chips when she sits down beside them. Makes no move or jerk of surprise, just carefully pushes over the chip bag. A soft crinkle as they pass it.

“Kara’s always calling her. Usually asks about her day.” They shrug, sketch a quick line of a figure in a notebook. “You can hear Kara laughing from the art department. That loud one she does. Full blown.”

“And the pet names you reported?”

“Lena calls her darling.” Zoe snickers. “Kara ran into the door so hard it knocked the hinges off.”

“I’d say thank you, but considering you’re involved in all this, I’m not.”

They give another nonchalant shrug and peer up at her. “And you aren’t?”

( _Hanging out_ , Kara had said, but Cat’s not hard pressed to believe Kara would know the difference between a date or not.)

* * *

”Keep up Miss Teschmacher.”

Cat doesn’t wait for the reply. She really doesn’t care to when Eve’s only comments the past twenty minutes has been barely concealed whispers of _I’m going to be sick_.

She doesn’t drive _that_ fast. She obeys all traffic laws to a t.

(Her record speaks for itself

All her tickets have helpfully disappeared after completely calm calls.)

They get through security after passing through one too many metal detectors. It’s slightly concerning.

L-Corp has more than CatCo.

But no one blinks an eye at her stepping through the lobby, only points her to the elevator with instructions to see a Jess.

(If Kara won’t give her the full truth, she’ll have to try the other half.)

“You’re going to distract them.”

Eve starts, hand falling away from the buttons of the elevator to step back. Steps back a little more when Cat waves her hand.

God, she hates elevators. 

“Distract who?”

“You would think a Luthor could afford a larger elevator, but since she didn’t and I’m currently having to share the same space as you, there’s no reason for you to mishear me.”

“I think it’s a regular sized-“ Cat runs a finger slowly on her purse, raises an eyebrow and Eve is swallowing thickly. Moves on. “Why am I distracting someone?”

“I don’t have an appointment.”

“Did I forget? I’m so sorry Miss Grant-”

“For once, no.” The elevator hums as they go up, light flashing with every passing level. “I want real, unrehearsed answers, and your voice asking for a meeting leaves little to the element of surprise.”

“Thank you?”

“Now, I need to get into that office. Are you ready?”

“Yes. No. No, I’m still not really sure why-”

The doors open and she nudges Eve out and towards the desk. The woman at the desk straightens, eyes darting past Eve and settling on her immediately. “Can I help you?”

Another push at Eve has her tripping forward. “Oh, right. I’m- I need-”

Honestly, Cat doesn’t really know why she thought that would work. Eve’s still stuttering on her words and the woman won’t stop her glaring, but there’s nothing really stopping her. She ignores the call of _please wait_ and strides to the door, walking straight to-

A hard surface. Enough of her motion sending her nose painfully against it.

“Oh!” Warm hands curl over her shoulder and she’s urged to look up into concerned blue eyes. “Miss Grant?” 

Kara’s eyes fall on the scene behind her, lips ticking upward before falling back to her. “What are you doing?”

“My job. I advise you to do the same for once.” She goes to brush by Kara but is stopped as Kara not so subtly plants herself firmly in the way, shoulders broadening. She thinks it’s meant to be imposing and oh, isn’t that interesting? “You’ve already seen to me breaking out from that cheap fabric don’t make me touch it _again_.”

Kara frowns down at her shirt, plucks her fingers along the collar. “I don’t think it’s cheap. Lena got it for me.”

Cat hums, eyes the soft blue that leaves Kara’s eyes bright and bluer than ever. “Of course she did.”

Kara leans down, settles a hand on her shoulder and gives her a look that makes _her_ feel downright chastised. “Cat, what are you doing?” She squeezes. “ _Really_?”

“Talking to a fellow CEO.”

“Right. Well you can’t. She’s asleep.” Kara moves away from the door, but not before hooking a finger around her purse strap and pulling her along. She pops Kara’s hand away, and it’s entirely her decision when she decides to continue following Kara.

“Jess, can you move around any meetings so she can sleep some? She was here late last night.”

“I told her to go home, but _no_.” Jess taps at her keyboard, eyes never falling from her. It’s unfailing and daring and damn, she’s impressed. “I can push one back until tomorrow, but you two won’t be able to go out.”

“That’s fine.” Kara grabs a pen and looks expectantly to Jess. “I’ll just bring it then. You want your usual?”

“Please.”

Cat stands quietly, watching the two interact. They’re clearly familiar with each other, but exactly how often is Kara _here_? 

“I’m starting to think you work here instead of your actual job Kiera.”

“ _Kara_.” Jess stops her typing and swivels the chair- it takes a ridiculous second, the chair working against her- and settles her palms flat on the counter. “Kara.”

“ _Oh_ I like you.” Cat points a finger, wiggles it. “I could use an assistant.”

Eve sucks in a harsh breath behind her. “Oh right,” she muses. “Another time then.”

“Cat,” Kara warns.  She falls into step beside Eve, hooking an arm around her shoulders. “She really does like you. She threatened to fire me at least a hundred times that first month.”

“I think she did more than that the first week.”

Kara blinks.

“Oh.”

(Kara follows them to the elevator- it’s a long ride with Kara giving her a disapproving look in the reflection the whole ride down- and out the building.

Strike one then, without much to show for it.)

* * *

Let it be said, she does learn from her mistakes.

(Pride once kept her firmly guarding her ways, but after years of this? Of learning and pushing and creating?

She knows when to change the game, when to adapt.)

If Lena and Kara are always meeting, then all she has to do is wait to see for herself.

(All she has to do is wait for the mad scramble of her employees all eager to see Lena and Kara and place their bets.)

“What are you doing?”

Cat looks away from the glass walls, looks to bright blue eyes that has a burst of affection spreading through her chest. “Nothing.”

“Mom,” Carter rolls his eyes, and oh, she doesn’t know if it’s her influence or because he’s being a _teenager_. “You’re staring.”

(For all her talk of embracing change, this is one she’s not prepared for.

He’s her boy, and she’s so, so proud at any and everything he does and-

He’s growing up.)

“I’m not.” He rolls his eyes again, and it’s- it’s probably her, isn’t it? She’s going to have to work on her sighs and eyes rolls. “Every day all of my employees fall over themselves over a bet.”

“What bet?”

Cat leans her chin against her propped up hands. Weighs her words, because Carter loves Kara and probably wouldn’t take kindly to the bets on her.

(It had been relieving when Carter had become so attached to Kara. When he would talk for hours after one of their outings together, something she had struggled to get him to do.

She knows Kara won’t hurt Carter, will take that affection and return it tenfold.)

“They’re wondering how good of friends Kara is with Lena Luthor.”

Carter purses his lips and turns his attention back to his phone with a shrug. “Lena’s nice.”

Cat turns her head so fast, a painful pull tugs at her neck. “You’ve met Lena?”

“Yeah.”

Cat drops her hands, spreading them flat against the desk. Carter has met Lena. With Kara. “Okay,” she draws it out, “You didn’t mention that.”

“It was for a minute.” Cat leans forward to hear him as he mumbles into his chest, finger sliding across his phone. “Kara gave her food or something before we went to get milkshakes.”

“I’m assuming this was before dinner?” Carter blanches at that, and Cat smiles, waits until his shoulders fall. “She was nice?”

“I mean she smiled at me.” Carter looks up, runs his fingers against the smooth surface of his phone case. “She was surprised I think. I walked in first, so it was,” Carter turns to her, moves a finger over his mouth to trace a frown, “that weird polite smile you do at parties. But she got happy when Kara walked in.”

“No more fake smile?”

“Nope.” Carter rubs his hands together and slides back down in the seat. “You know when you get home and get in pajamas before you sit on the couch?”

“The most relaxing part of my evening? Of course. It’s my favorite.” Cat hunches forward over the desk to run her fingers through his hair. Ruffles it until he pulls away. She got four seconds longer than usual. “It’s when I get to see you.”

“Her smile,” Carter says, “that’s what it reminded me of.”

(Cat has nothing to say at that.

Lena smiles at Kara like she’s coming home)

* * *

“Oh Miss Grant wait-”

Eve is all over her desk as Cat walks by her, and usually Cat would impart her with some grand stroke of knowledge, but she’s finding it a waste of breath more and more.

“Have the layouts-” Cat stops. There’s someone in her office even though she double checked to make sure her schedule was clear for the first half of today. “Who is that?”

“That’s what I was about to tell you.” Eve holds her phone up to her ear, fingers raised just over the keys. “Lena Luthor. She just came in and asked for you. Do you want me to call security?”

Cat drops her hands to her hips, shifts her weight to one foot. Lena turns around then, lips turning upwards with a slow smirk. “That won’t be necessary.”

Cat tilts up her head and pushes through the doors, not bothering to greet Lena until she’s settled in her chair. The monitors behind her blazing with activity and oh, this is her _space_.

“Do you usually invite yourself in?”

Lena turns her head to the side, eyes gleaming in the sunlight, and god, now she’s remembering the instances written down of Kara loudly contemplating Lena’s eye color. “Don’t you?”

“Fair enough.” Lena breathes a small laugh, barely moving from the motion of it. Watching her as much as she’s watching Lena. “We could’ve already talked, had someone not been sleeping.”

That has emotions sweeping across Lena’s face. Affection, irritation before it rebounds, affection seeping into her features. “I told her not to say- Kara worries too much.”

“She tends to do that for the people she cares about.”

Lena looks down, fingers grasping the edge of her skirt and raises her shoulders.

(Young.

She’s so young and already knows what’s necessary to do within a business. How best to sway people. Falling into so many falsehoods that it’s hard to know what’s real and what isn’t.

It’s a lonely game.

But then there’s those people- Carter, she thinks warmly- that make it easier.

From the way Lena smiles at Kara’s name, she thinks Lena already has one.)

“Was there something you wanted to discuss?”

“Not really.” Cat brings a finger to her lips, taps at her chin while Lena stares blankly back at her. Kara isn’t one to stay quiet, no doubt had told Lena about her questions. “It simply came to my attention how close you two are.”

“She’s the only one who isn’t interested in dragging my name through the mud. L-Corp needs good press like that.”

“So it’s a business relationship?”

“No,” Lena says slowly, eyes narrowing, “we’re friends. I never said we weren’t.”

“And if the press starts taking an interest in her?” The only thing she hasn’t been able to figure out is if Lena _knows_. She tries to put as much emphasis on her next words as she can. “It wouldn’t be good for her if they began to notice her _quirks_.”

“That won’t happen.” Lena swallows and folds her hands in her lap. “I’ve taken certain precautions if the need arises, but whatever happens, Kara will be safe.”

“That’s good to know.”

“You wouldn’t be concerned with any other employees like this.” 

“Not all my employees are her.”

“She’s more than just-” Lena forces out a harsh breath. “The cape,” she whispers, and how someone can make a whisper sound so commanding she’s not sure. She’d like to know how, it’d be useful.

“I know that.” Cat rolls her chair to her phone, jabbing down the button. “Evelyn bring in my next meeting.” Lena stands up when she waves a hand. “I know that,” she repeats, “and I think you do too.”

“ _Kara_ is important to me.”

(It’d halt the presses. A Luthor who doesn’t care about a Super.

Or at least, not in the way most would think. Not with the clawing vengeance she’s seen in the headlines three times this week. 

But with a fierce confidence, with a desire to _protect_.

Lena seems intent on shedding family ties in all but name.)

“How would you feel about me writing an article about you?”

Lena pauses at the door, fingers twitching around the handle. “You can’t say anything worse about me that I haven’t heard before.”

(Cat’s left with that.

Left without a true answer tainted with the bitterness of someone who didn’t ask for a family out for blood. She says it with a quiet acceptance that makes her think of Carter and fear and oh, it _burns_.)

* * *

”I can watch Carter.”

Cat laughs as Kara’s face falls. “Because that went over so well the last time.”

Kara stands up straighter, voice low and full of intent. “I would never let anything happen to him.”

(Which she _knows_.

Looking over it with all the pieces, with the knowledge that Kara chose Carter over others, she knows Carter couldn’t be safer.

It’s quieting. To see someone care for her son so deeply to throw away other responsibilities. It’s reckless and selfish but oh, it’s _humbling_.)

“The runaway techie will not be your partner in crime this time.”

Kara snorts. “I’ll be sure to tell Winn you remember him.” She pulls out her phone. “Um how about- You know, I really don’t _need_ help watching him?”

Cat grabs her elbow to still her. “And when you have to leave for your other activities?”

“Oh. Oh.” Kara bites her lip. “Right. Okay. So you- we’re just- okay.”

“Brilliant wording.”

“So my sister is working but how about Lena?”

Carter perks up. “Do you think she can help me with my robot?”

Kara grins. Her hand hovers over Carter’s shoulder, but then he’s leaning into it as she pulls him into a one sided hug. “Bud, I think you’re going to have the best robot ever.”

* * *

There’s music playing inside her house.

There’s _loud_ music.

(Carter knows better.

Carter doesn’t even like loud noises, prefers to walk around the house with his headphones on a quiet music if anything.)

She slips in silently- compared to the music blaring throughout the rooms- and spies Kara humming along. Carter pops up beside her, and then Kara’s pulling Carter around in circles, feet thumping around in the kitchen. “I knew you could dance Carter.”

“You dance better than Kara.”

Cat moves forward slightly, just enough that she can see Lena sitting at the counter with a fond smile on her face.

Kara stumbles back into the counter, hand falling dramatically on her face. “Oh my heart.” She spins when Carter raises her hand and jabs her thumb at Lena. “Miss Luthor thinks she’s too good to dance with us.”

“No, no. I just know when to let the professionals take over.”

“But Kara sucks at it.”

Cat has to bite down a laugh at Kara’s hurt face, but she rebounds, pulls Lena off the stool and into a clumsy spin. They’re laughing and tripping over each other’s feet, but oh, she’s never seen Lena look that soft.

(She’s seen her with her head held high. With cameras flashing at her at every turn.

Never has she seen her in a soft t-shirt and jeans, dancing around and laughing with her son and Kara.)

“Honestly Kiera, I can’t say I’m surprised.”

Lena freezes immediately, and Carter looks a little sheepish at her entrance, slowly reaching over to turn the music down. Kara, though, doesn’t.

(It’s with startling clarity that she realizes nothing ever can be silent around Kara. That there’s no sneaking up on her when she can hear halfway around the city. 

It reminds her of the days Kara first started working at CatCo and she’d find her on her lunch breaks with headphones pressed tight over her ears.)

“Miss Grant!” Kara gives her a happy grin, one that twists into something more mischievous. “Gonna dance?”

“You even try it and you’re fired.”

“Okie dokie.” Cat cringes, because she’s tried, she’s tried so hard to get Kara to not use something so embarrassing. “How was the conference?”

“Frustrating. I take it you only set my house on fire once?”

“No fires Miss Grant.” Lena smiles, pulled tight at the edges, but it loosens when Kara hugs Carter goodbye. “Your home is beautiful.”

“Thank you.” Her smile comes easy, because Carter’s cheeks are red and flush and he looks so happy. Just from a night of playing and building. “Thank you for your help.”

“He’s brilliant.”

Part of Cat immediately goes on guard, that this is a ploy, but then Carter is leaning into Lena and it’s possibly the most awkward hug she’s seen in her life, but they’re both _smiling_. Smile harder when Kara scoops them both up.

That night, Lena leaves Carter with a box full of notebooks, and she gets to watch Carter pour over it for hours. Gush about how smart Lena and Kara are and how well they work together.

(That night, she’s left with the impression that everyone’s worry over the last Luthor is unfounded.

All they would have to see is Lena building a robot that can barely go in a straight line with her son.)

* * *

”I can’t write articles for L-Corp anymore?”

Cat gently takes off her glasses, setting them to the side slowly as Kara’s frustration boils over. She had expected it, glancing at her clock until she could hear stomps coming down the hall.

“While you may overlook your own biases, I run a business and can’t.”

“I’m not _biased_.”

“Snapper agreed.”

“I don’t care what he said.” Kara places her finger on her desk, pokes harshly at it. “I want to know why you did that.”

“Like I said-“

“No. No.” Kara jerks away. “You’re not-

Kara’s pacing angrily around, and it’s clearer than ever in these moments who she is.

(Not Supergirl.

But Kara. Thrown from another _world_ and placed under rule after rule until she’s so, so _tired_.)

Kara stops right in front of her. “Why do you care so much?”

Kara may able to ignore the looks they’re earning but she can’t. “Balcony. _Now_.”

She spins around to face Kara as soon as the door slides shut. “You’re lucky you have a job right now. I don’t care who you are outside of these walls, because if you-”

Kara laughs. “What? You’re going to fire me?”

(That rubs salt into it.

She hadn’t then, but she understands now. Had always when she thought about it, because Kara Danvers has always been an important element to her life, but Supergirl was the new one. Without Kara Danvers, Kara couldn’t have her sister or her friends or whatever she has with Lena.)

“You think I won’t?”

“I think,” Kara says, pressing forward. Bold steps putting her directly in her space, and Cat has to step back, skin itching. Kara’s face falls at that, some of the anger leaving her with a steady exhale. “You should mind your own business.”

“I am. That’s what this is about.  _My_ business.”

“Just stay out of it Cat.”

Kara leaves with as much commotion as she came with. Her glass door thrown ajar with Eve gaping at Kara as she strides away. Eyeing her nervously from behind her desk.

Heads pop up over cubicles, and she’s left with every person on the floor staring at her.

“Oh I’m sorry, do all of you need more work?”

* * *

She only has to wait for the last person to leave the floor before there’s a thump outside. 

“Cat.”

Cat hums when Kara lands softly beside her, wind pushing against the balcony floor. “Taught not to go to bed before settling an argument?”

“Something like that.” Kara laughs. It’s off, a little heavier than usual. Cat drapes her wrists over the bars, eyeing Kara as she shakes her head. “Your whole world,” Kara lets the sentence drift off, eyes darting above them as the stars blink in the sky, “disappearing does that to you.”

(Cat may pick on Kara’s tenses and spellings, but this word choice?

 _Disappearing_ when she knows exactly where it went? 

She’ll leave that be.)

“Sorry. What I’m trying to say is, you never know what could happen, so I just- it’d make me feel better,” Kara holds up a hand, waves it between them, “if we could clear the air.”

“By all means.”

“You need to stop pushing.” 

“You know it’s there. What happened to diving?” Cat pushes forward, points a finger at that symbol, that crest that inspires so much. “You’re afraid again.”

Kara drops her head to the rails. Her face scrunches up in a frown as she turns away, cheek rubbing against the rails and cape snapping with the quick movement. “I’m always afraid, Cat.”

“Of what?”

She shakes her head, and she hates that she can’t see her face. Kara is expressive as she is explosive. Would give her clues how best to handle this conversation. “I’m sorry for getting angry.”

“In this case, it’s forgiven. I acted-” She dips her head, bobs it to the side, “I don’t have to say sorry do I?”

“No Miss Grant.”

“What were you angry at, Kara?”

Kara bumps her head against the railing. “You know, sometimes people really are just mad at _you_.”

“Sometimes,” she agrees easily, because Kara _was_ angry with her. But all of it? There’s always something more to Kara getting angry, something that loosens the tight hold she has on all of it more than her probing her relationship with Lena. “So?” She turns her hand, flips her palm up, “Spill.”

“I’m angry,” Kara says tightly, through gritted teeth, “for being afraid. For wanting this. For it being enough and not enough.”

“What does that mean?” She asks as softly as she can, as gently, because she wants to know. She wants to help but words are spilling from Kara faster than she can understand.

“She’s my best friend,” Kara whispers finally. Her voice reedy and thin. “I can’t lose her.”

“Sometimes the greatest reward has the highest risk.” Cat swirls her drink around, dragging her finger down the side. “But if it gives you any comfort, she’s not going anywhere.”

Kara turns her head back to her, nods slowly. “Her company’s here.” Quiet and small, and god, she’s going to have to spell it out for her.

“She’s moved that before, and you know to avoid something, Lena would do it again.” Cat rolls her eyes as Kara’s shoulders hunch up, so she leans over, pinches her arm as hard as she can. 

For all her effort, Kara only gives her a mild look of irritation.

“Stop moping. I’m giving you a pep talk, the least you can do is look peppy. People pay money for these usually, you know that.”

“I know you charge a ridiculous price too.”

“Besides the fact.” She pinches the bridge of her nose, rubs her fingers there. “Lena loves you.” Kara starts, eyes wide, so she says quickly, “In whatever capacity.” Just to soothe Kara’s panic, but she’s now been privy to those looks and it’s definitely not familial. “She loves you, and after her family, she needs you.”

“I just don’t want to lose anyone else.” 

“Let’s say I’m wrong,” she scoffs, thinks of the hugs and looks and rolls her eyes at the little breath of laughter Kara lets out, “which has never happened-”

“Never?”

“Never,” she repeats firmly, “whatever happens, however long it may take if you do need space, you two will be okay.”

Kara doesn’t say anything in response, turning her head up to the sky. 

“Are you ever angry at them? For leaving?” The question raises and bubbles out of her before she has a chance to question her right to ask it.

Kara looks down at her feet, hovers up and over the bars but not before giving her a fleeting smile that makes her chest ache. 

“How can I be mad at them when they’re not here anymore?”

(Which wasn’t an answer.

It was avoidant. The guilt seeping out, because she knows Kara, knows more than anything she’s _angry_. At her loss, at the sheer unfairness of it all, at the possibilities that could have avoided it. 

It’s the loss that leaves the anger with nowhere to go, no one to direct it to. The loss that has Kara remembering that they- they are _gone_ and aren’t coming back and oh, isn’t that so heartbreaking?

Kara asks how can she be angry without the guilt of it?

And really, she doesn’t know.)

* * *

She doesn’t usually go out, not without Carter, but it’s Sunday and she’s too tired to fix anything for breakfast.

She hears a bubbly laugh, a chair creaking along with it as she settles into hers. It’s familiar and steady, enough so that she chances a glance back and isn’t surprised to see Kara and Lena.

Kara’s holding out her fork with- Cat’s not even sure what it is other than it’s drizzled in chocolate- but Lena’s turning her head away from it.

“Kara, that’s a heart attack waiting to happen.”

“Nope. No, it’s not. I can hear my heart, remember? Let me see.” Kara tilts her head to the side. “Yep, see? Sounds great.” She grins when Lena finally takes the bite. “Happy, even.”

“Yeah?”

Kara hums, leaning over to thumb away the speck of chocolate left from Lena’s mouth. “Yeah.”

Cat groans.

There’s the loud clack of silverware as she turns around, Kara’s fork halfway to her mouth as Lena’s eyes widen. It’s comical for a long moment, Kara frozen as Lena tries to fight her surprise. 

“It’s one thing to flirt.” She shuffles around in her seat and leans over. “Badly,” she adds and jabs a finger at Kara who’s _still_ allowing food to drop onto her while Lena sits back in her seat with a curious look. Kara shoves it into her mouth at her look, coughs when her words register. Chokes out a _flirting?_ “It’s another to talk so loudly about your,” she waves a hand at Kara, shakes it.

“My heart?”

Lena coughs politely into her hand. “I think she meant your powers.” Lena’s voice is hushed, but her laugh isn’t. It’s full and warm, and when Cat chances a look at Kara she sees why.

Kara’s gaping like a fish, and she really hopes Kara can’t choke, because they’re both laughing at her while she maybe chokes but doesn’t really choke.

“I’ll be more careful.” Kara thumps a fist over her chest. “Sorry for intruding on your breakfast.”  


“No, no.” Cat keeps her voice smooth and easy. “I apologize for intruding on your date.”  


She hears Kara choke again and Lena asking for the check not much longer after that.

* * *

Carter is incredibly smart.

(Something she wants to say he gets from her.

But then he’s doing things she never could have dreamed, trying to explain it all to her with an exasperated sort of fondness and she realizes that it’s all Carter’s doing.)

Which is how she finds herself agreeing to try baking brownies even though she’s tired and _it’s a school night, Carter_. All it had taken was Carter saying please and subsequently producing a list of pros and cons only to leave the cons column empty.

( _“There’s no con to brownies, Mom.”_

 _“You’re hanging out with Kara too much.”_ )

The store is close to empty. The cashier staring off into the ceiling and rattles off their closing times when they come in, giggling and shoving each other for the cart.

“One box.”

“Two. Great.”

“Carter.” She calls after him, but he’s darting away, skidding to a stop once he gets to the right aisle. He taps his foot on the ground as she walks over, and it’s with only warmth that she scruffs up his hair. 

“ _Mom_.”

“I just was fixing it.” Cat jerks her cart to the side to navigate it past the couple bickering, but the wheels lock up, twisting and then she’s face to face with Lena Luthor.

“Oh, hello Miss Grant.”

“Cat’s fine.” Kara spins around beside Lena, arms full of cake batter and brownie boxes. Pouts. “What’s that face for?”

“You never told me I could call you Cat.”

“You do it anyway and you tend not to listen.” Kara gives a good natured shrug, one box coming dangerously close to tipping out of her arms, but Lena’s there nudging it back into place and letting her hand linger on Kara’s shoulder. “Shopping?”

Cat peers over the cart, and it’s a funny sight. The mixture of foods they have. From kale to cookies. The cart is evenly split down the middle.

“There.” Kara drops the boxes over the neat arrangement. Dusts off her hands and rolls her eyes when Lena clicks her tongue. “Carter!” Kara bends down and opens her arms, smile never faltering when Carter holds up his fist instead and smoothly taps their knuckles together. “I need your help.”

“Okay.”

“Lena,” Kara flaps her hand towards Lena, “thinks we should only get brownies. But I was thinking _you know what’s better than brownies_ -”

“A healthy diet?”

“-Cake and brownies.” Kara finishes, looking over her shoulder at Lena and sticking out her tongue. 

“Are you trying to eat all of it tonight?”

“Yes.”

“ _No_.” 

Cat rolls her eyes and snatches the top box of brownies. “This is as much help as I can offer.”

“I think both.”

Kara whoops, falling backwards onto Lena. “A kid after my own heart.” Lena purses her lips but it falters, slips into a bright smile as Lena’s hand settles on Kara’s hip, fingers rubbing absently.

Cat wants to say _I told you_ or possibly call out Kara’s past lies, but the two are looking at each other quietly, shifting closer together and Cat can only tell them goodnight and drag Carter off.

They’re still standing in front of the brownies talking when they leave.

Side by side, hands grazing.

* * *

Everything is different after that.

There’s more pictures than ever of their outings, when they’re pressed close together or Kara’s leaning to whisper something in Lena’s ear and it looks too intimate for some paparazzi to have stolen from them.

Lena stops by from time to time, exchanges pleasantries until Kara comes running out of the elevator and apologizing for being late.

(She starts giving Lena the articles Kara writes.

Lena clutches each one to her chest, fingers drawing over the edges fondly and _thank you_.)

She almost asks when she sees them at a charity event together. Passing by to find Kara cupping Lena’s face in her hands- gently, it’s so gentle in Kara’s every movement- and promising her she’s going to do great and she won’t mess up and even if she does they can still go home and grief bake.

(There’s no missing the way Lena leans into her hands. Sighs with relief when Kara says _it’s okay, it’s okay_ and _home_.

She thinks they both could use a little of that.)

Cat waits.

(It’s hard.

She wants to find Kara and know everything, is used to the news being fed to her before it even happens.

But this isn’t news and Kara’s not her assistant.

This is a superhero, a friend, and she wants to make sure she’s happy.)

Waits until there’s the familiar sound of hideous boots smacking into her balcony and Kara’s goofy grin as she waves at her through the glass. 

“Something’s happened between you two.”

Kara, oh, she _beams_. “Maybe,” she says coolly and drops into the outside chair. She crosses her arms and falls back into the cushions, blowing a breath against the fallen strands of hair. “Do you think this is a good idea?”

“To date Lena?”

“Not that so much as- Like,” Kara holds up her hands and turns them over, “knowing it could go really, really bad and hurt both of us.”

“I think,” Cat says, walking over to Kara’s side and laying her hand on her shoulder, “that you deserve to be happy.”

”When people would begin a union.” Kara shakes her shoulders, cape pooling into her lap as she glances to her. Cat notes the change in her voice, the way she allows it to drop deeper as her chin tilts up. “Marriage, I mean. It wasn’t- it didn’t always start with love.” Kara’s silent then, fingers lightly tracing over her crest, first with fondness before there’s the faintest show of creasing around her eyes, of worry. “But it was good and just and Rao would smile down on them as the stars sung their blessings.”

“I’m afraid that’s not how it is here.”

“I know.” Kara laughs, eyeing her slyly. “I don’t have to have four marriages to know that. But love, it’s still good and just.”

“It can be.”

“It can be.” Kara sighs, and it’s time like these, with her head dipped forward, shoulders hunched, that she remembers how young Kara is. “I had nothing but silence for twenty four years Cat. _Nothing_.” Kara shivers, pulls her cape around her. “And then,” Kara’s voice breaks, and she can build sentences, wrap them up until they’re nice and perfect and sound, but she doesn’t know what to say here, “I come here and have to act like I can’t hear them anymore.”

“I’m sorry.” It feels useless, and for a lifetime of work with nothing but words, she wants to do better.

“I just want to hear the stars sing.”

(Kara just wants love.

The next time she sees Kara, she’s returning from seeing Lena.

Humming.)

* * *

If she had any doubt that their relationship had changed, catching them making out in Kara’s office certainly dispels any of it.

It had been purely accidental that she opened up the door, already rattling off what she needed Kara to do when they all froze. Kara’s hands in Lena’s hair, Lena’s fingers tucked tight against Kara’s shirt collar.

“Oh my-” Kara jerks back. Harshly presses into the desk and sends it crashing into the wall. “Oh gosh, that’s the second one.”

“The second?”

Lena holds up a hand before Kara begins rambling even though Cat still catches a _it was totally an accident and no one was hurt_. “You needed something?”

“Besides for my employee to,” she pointedly drags her eyes over them, settling on Lena’s mussed hair and the frantic way Kara’s rubbing lipstick off, “work?”

“Um, yes?”

“I want a photoshoot.”

“If Eve needs help setting it up, I can. It’s not a pro-”

“With both of you.” Cat grabs the pen off of Kara’s desk and writes down the date on a sticky note. Slaps it onto Kara’s shirt and flicks her fingers against one of the undone buttons that has Kara yelping. “Bring your cape.”

* * *

It takes an enormous amount of work and planning, but she gets both of them there without anyone being none the wiser.

Only James stands beside her, camera in hand. “It’s weird. Everything being so quiet.”

“I didn’t want anyone gawking at them and throwing them off.” Cat smiles slyly. “Or catching them.”

“Oh so you walked in on that too, huh?” James grins, wide and happy as he brings the camera into focus and stepping around the lighting. “They’re awful on game nights. In a cute couplely awful kind of way.”

“Cute.”

“Kara mentioned you and Carter should come to one.”

Cat laughs. It’s kind and thoughtful but. “Never in a million years Olsen. I had to watch Kara eat lunch at that desk for two years, I’m not watching her demolish something in the comfort of her home.”

“I’m not that bad.” Kara drops down onto the balcony, curls bouncing with the motion. “You,” she says, turning to give James her shoulder, “didn’t complain until I beat you at that burger competition.”

“It was dumb going against you anyway,” James mutters.

“If it helps,” Lena says as she steps in, and it’s not the first time she wonders if Lena allows Kara to fly her places, “she was upset she couldn’t eat more than she did.”

“I told you that in confidence.” Kara hisses it, but she’s smiling hard, teethy and bright as Lena steps up and combs her fingers through Kara’s windswept hair. Kara bumps their heads together playfully, one hand pulling Lena closer and the other tangling their fingers together.

She’s deciding to give them a minute to settle when James nudges her, holding out his camera. Cat looks it over, nods thoughtfully as James breaks out into a bigger smile.

“Keep that one.”

* * *

“You write wonderfully.”

“I know but thank you.”

Lena flips the magazine shut as Kara’s still tracing a finger over the text, drags it to the side and hovers over the two of them. “I love it,” Kara breathes. “It’s the best. Thank you Cat.”

“One more thing.” She fiddles with the lock for a moment, but then the drawer comes free and she’s staring at Kara and Lena from that morning. Faces close together and eyes shut. The blues and reds of Kara’s suit shining in the sunlight. She doesn’t know how an image can feel quiet, but it does, like it’s just the two of them.

Cat holds it out to the both of them, feels a smile grow on her face at their soft smiles. “I thought you two may like this.”

“This is-” Lena takes in a shaky breath. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Cat grabs her purse and clicks off the computer. “Besides, you two have given me a best seller already, so really, thanks go to you.” It’s no sooner than she finishes her sentence does she find Kara’s arms around her, feet slightly lifted off the ground from the force of the hug.

“Really, thank you Cat.”

“Okay, okay. You’re welcome.” She pats helplessly at Kara’s back. “Now let me go so I can go home and see Carter.”

“Tell him hi!” Kara drops her, reaching out a hand when she stumbles back. “Night Cat.”

“Goodnight.”

“Oh!” Kara stops and reaches into her bag, shuffling around for a moment before bringing out cash wrapped together in a rubber band. “This was on my desk? A note said I won some pool, but I usually don’t do anything like that. No one will tell me what it was. I’m pretty sure I can’t win something if I didn’t even participate.”

“No.” Lena squints suspiciously at her, but really, nothing can be traced back to her. All that anyone would be able to tell looking at that dumb, completely useless spreadsheet was that one Kara Danvers did in fact place the winning bet. “I don’t, but you must have won, people don’t go giving people money for no reason.”

“I don’t know,” Kara quirks her mouth to the side. “Still kinda weird.”

“Trust me,” Cat says as Kara’s and Lena’s hands join together, “you won.”


End file.
